What complex feelings we have towards M.I.A. The Sri Lankan-British rapper (sort of) has said some…
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Most recently the Sri Lankan-born, Brooklyn-dwelling, Bronfman-marrying musician was interviewed by Touré for The Daily Beast. And she started off laudably, bringing attention to the struggles in her home country and whatnot. But then, as always, the conversation devolves into a series of her trying to reaffirm to us—clinging Eminem style to an old and fading life—that she's entirely keepin' it real.

If you're an immigrant you left somewhere and most of the time you fled a war. Gun sounds are a part of our culture as an everyday thing. If you've been exposed to gunfights and violence and bombs and war then I can use those sounds backing my thoughts, ya know? Look, I've been shot at so I'm quite comfortable with gunshot sounds.

Which, OK, fine. First off she must be utterly exhausted with that question, as scared and reverent reporters want to feel a little dangerous enjoying a song with such violent sounds in it. But maybe she should just stop answering it. Because every time she does, it just comes off a bit like she's boasting about some pretty horrible things which have nothing to do with her present life.

You gotta embrace the pain, embrace the struggle. And my giving birth struggle is nothing when I think about all the people in Sri Lanka that have to give birth in a concentration camp as we speak, with no food and shelter and blankets and medicine and clean anything. I think I'm in a bit of a luxury situation. I have a midwife and I have my man. That's kind of enough to get through.